‘It’s strange’ – Leclerc reacts to Ferrari milestone with Schumacher record in sight

Charles Leclerc has become the second-most experienced driver in Ferrari’s history in F1 2026 and now sits behind only seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher in terms of race starts.

Leclerc moved clear of Kimi Raikkonen’s tally with the Scuderia in China, but rather than being the team’s most experienced driver, he wants to add a title-winning legacy to his time with the team.

Charles Leclerc targets Ferrari title ahead of experience record

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Christened ‘Il Predestinato’ [‘The Predestined’] after impressing in his early days as a Ferrari driver, Leclerc has taken 27 pole positions and eight race wins in red so far, without having been in a title-challenging position for a full season yet.

Leclerc sits on 154 Ferrari starts in Formula 1 and is currently on course to pass Schumacher’s record of 180 by the middle of the 2027 campaign.

Now in his eighth season with the team, Leclerc spoke fondly of how he has been raised through the Scuderia’s ranks, but knows that his focus remains on becoming its first title winner since Raikkonen in 2007.

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“It’s strange,” Leclerc told PlanetF1.com and others when that statistic was raised to him.

“I still feel very young, and I remember my first year in Ferrari just like yesterday, but it’s special.

“I love the team. I’ve grown up in this team even before I was a Formula 1 driver for Ferrari. I was in the Ferrari Driver Academy, so they saw me grow up and not only as a driver, but also as a person, so it’s a very special place to drive for.

“But I wouldn’t love to be reminded [remembered, sic] as the most experienced driver of Ferrari, I would love to be remembered as a world champion for Ferrari and this is still to to be done. That’s where my focus is at.

“I didn’t really know about this stat, actually. I’m not really looking forward to becoming the first, but I just want to win a world championship.

“That’s what I’m trying and working for every day and I hope that this day will come.”

Leclerc currently sits third in the early 2026 season standings, having earned 59 points alongside two podium finishes.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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